Volunteers Needed for VITA Free Tax Prep Program
Volunteers Provide In-Person or Virtual Tax Prep Services
December 5, 2022, GREATER NASHVILLE, TENN.—United Way is recruiting volunteers to provide free tax preparation for low- to moderate-income taxpayers as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) free tax prep program.
Volunteers help individuals and families who earned $70,000 or less per household in 2022 by serving as greeters/intake specialists, tax preparers, quality reviewers and site coordinators. Many volunteers begin with no previous tax experience. IRS-training options begin in December and continue through January. Volunteers choose their site location—including new sites at the Bordeaux, Goodlettsville and Pruitt public library branches—and register for training based on their desired volunteer role. Tax prep begins in late January.
“Tax season can be daunting for anyone—especially for our neighbors struggling to put food on the table or pay rent,” says Sam Williams, United Way of Greater Nashville’s associate director of financial mobility. “This volunteer experience is so much more than just free tax prep. Our volunteers are helping break down barriers so that families and individuals can build financial stability for years to come.”
Thousands of our neighbors rely on this important service each year, not only to access critical tax credits but to save on fees that can be put toward expenses like rent, food and childcare. Volunteers help each family save, on average, more than $300 in tax prep fees. For tax year 2022, Middle Tennessee VITA volunteers completed 8,900 returns, helping taxpayers save $2.7 million in tax preparation fees and bringing $11.7 million in federal refunds back to the community.
Beginning in January, taxpayers can find their nearest VITA site and more information at UnitedWayFileFree.com or through United Way’s 211 Helpline by texting their ZIP code to 898211.
Visit volunteerforvita.org to get started.
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About United Way of Greater Nashville
At United Way, we unite the community and mobilize resources so that every child, individual and family thrives. Together, we are working to create a community where every child receives a quality education, no one lives in poverty or poor health, and the most basic needs of our families are met. We are uniquely positioned to the lead this fight by bringing individuals, businesses, nonprofits and government to the table to have the tough conversations, mobilize the resources and make the smart investments that will create lasting solutions for our region’s most pressing issues. For more information, visit unitedwaygreaternashville.org and follow us on social media @UWNashville.
